


(It Comes) Naturally

by doitall, xo_thefirst



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Elementals!AU, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Temporarily Decreased Senses, Temporarily Missing Limb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 01:35:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9856193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doitall/pseuds/doitall, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_thefirst/pseuds/xo_thefirst
Summary: Have you ever wondered why lightning yearns to strike the earth?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for do-itall fic fest (Prompt #119)
> 
> Author's Note: to the prompter, you gave such a beautiful prompt. i can only hope i gave it some amount of justice ;u; to the mods, thank you for organizing this fest and being patient with me! and to m who let me whine and pester her about this entire story while it was in production. you're the best ;u; the title is taken from selena gomez's song 'naturally.'
> 
> Warning at the end notes (possible spoilers)

_Have you ever wondered why lightning yearns to strike the earth?_

  
  
  
A clap of thunder wakes Kyungsoo up from slumber. He can’t hear it clearly, but he can feel the vibrations in the air. It’s strong, powerful, so unlike the flapping of a bird’s wings setting to land or the soothing breezes of the wind. It comes short, unexpected, like a punch to the gut, and he moves with the wind as the sound waves echo around him.  
  
It stops minutes after, the vibrations fading away to nothing but the gentle breezes of nature’s wind, and he plans to go back to sleep, to bathe in the sun’s warm rays as it takes its place in the sky to warm earth’s creatures. And he’s close, so close to falling back to sleep, but then he feels another clap of thunder, this one stronger than the first one.  
  
It ruffles his leaves and shakes his core and Kyungsoo heaves an internal sigh he knows he can’t give yet. So, he waits. He focuses. Leaves slowly turn into soft, strands of hair and harsh bark turns into smooth, tan skin. Darkness gives way to light and his lips slip open as he lets out a gasp, eyes blinking open to see the sun low in the horizon and blinding his vision, if only for a moment.  
  
When another clap of thunder sounds, it’s loud, booming in his ears, and Kyungsoo grimaces as he searches for the origin of it. He twists and turns, stretching out the stiffness in his entire body from staying in one place for too long, and he sighs unbidden when he can stretch his fingers, cracks the knuckles to relieve the tension there. He wiggles his toes in the soil next, appreciating how soft it is from the rain from the night before, and then he’s wandering in the direction where the thunder seems to be getting louder.  
  
He passes by several trees, some of them are elderly, have already passed the age where they can no longer shift, and he greets each one of them mentally, with a gentle caress around the bark where he can reach. Some are of his friends, young trees that are smaller than the rest, not having aged enough to grow as large as the oaks around them, and for them, Kyungsoo gently taps his knuckles against each one, wondering if they’re awake or asleep.  
  
There’s another clap of thunder and Kyungsoo winces as he stills in his spot. It’s the loudest one yet and he really needs to see what’s happening before the rest of the trees and their village wakes up, confused and grumbling, because there’s no rain to soothe the sting. But suddenly, Kyungsoo looks to his left and he’s surprised to see a flash of something bright, blinding, before he’s hit in the chest.  
  
Kyungsoo can see the end of a lightning bolt sticking out of his chest before he falls back, body trembling as waves of electricity expand and take over until the shocks wear off. He doesn’t realize he’s staring up at the clear blue sky, shaking, until someone is peering down at him, eyes wide and worried.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” the boy breathes, sounding as out of breath as Kyungsoo feels. In fact, his entire body feels sore and it aches to move even a finger, to blink to keep his eyes moist. “I tried to keep my bolts directed towards the sky, but a few went astray and– I’m sorry.”  
  
Kyungsoo’s jaw aches when he tries to open it and he groans when he tilts his head to the side, winces when his muscles protest. He screws his eyes shut, whimpering when he balls his hands into fists, because it feels like it helps. “Ow, ow, ow,” he mumbles, gasping when he feels a weight being pressed on top of his chest. He opens his eyes to see the young boy, with high cheekbones and pretty lips, frowning as he rubs his fingers into the spot Kyungsoo got hit. It doesn’t hurt but it’s not comfortable either and Kyungsoo whines when the fingers press harder. “Ow.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” the boy says again, repeating it, as his eyes glisten with unshed tears and his bottom lip trembles. He’s trying to stop himself from crying and Kyungsoo whines from the back of his throat to get his attention.  
  
It works. The boy flicks his gaze up to Kyungsoo’s and Kyungsoo tries to make a face, tries to make the boy laugh, and he doesn’t know if it works, but the boy laughs anyways. The tension in Kyungsoo’s body bleeds away and he smiles when he can move again without feeling pain run through his body. “Hello,” he greets, voice breathless, as the boy removes his fingers and Kyungsoo relaxes back into the soil. His smile widens when he sees the boy’s lips twitch up, frown disappearing to give way to his own smile.  
  
“Hi,” the boy breathes back, eyes shining with something else other than unshed tears. It almost looks like his eyes are sparkling, gold flecks dancing in his irises. “Are you okay?”  
  
Kyungsoo nods immediately, heaving a breath as he picks himself up from the ground. When he sits, he stares at his naked form before looking over to the other boy to see him in a large tunic that goes down to his knees. “I’m okay,” he answers. “Are you cold? Why are you wearing that?”  
  
“Huh?” the boy asks, looking down, before looking back up and pointing to his stomach. “This?” Kyungsoo nods and the boy laughs. His entire face lights up and Kyungsoo is mesmerized by the way the boy’s eyes curve up, his smile bright. “To cover myself,” he answers, as if it’s simple. “It helps to keep me in place too.”  
  
“To keep you in place?” Kyungsoo echoes, confused. He stares at him, then at the grey-colored tunic, before looking back up to him. “What does that mean?”  
  
The boy simply smiles as he holds out his hand. He pushes off his heels from his crouched position and stands, pulling Kyungsoo up with him when he grabs his hand, and Kyungsoo realizes they’re about the same height. “Exactly what it means,” the boy says. Kyungsoo can feel a soft prickling traveling from his hand to his arm and he shudders without realizing. “It keeps me from dispersing.”  
  
Kyungsoo still doesn’t know what he means, but he hums anyways because now he’s distracted by the burn mark on his own chest, clearly visible against his once smooth skin.  
  
“I’m sorry,” the boy says again, taking a step back, as if afraid to touch him again. “I’m not really… I’m told I’m dangerous.”  
  
The scar is strange. It has one center point where it’s the darkest but then there are dark, fading lines spreading out and branching from it. It looks like the root system of a tree, if staring at it from above at its center. It doesn’t even really hurt when he touches it. It strangely feels like leather. “It’s okay,” Kyungsoo says lightly, poking his chest again, “I’m okay, see?” before looking to the boy across from him.  
  
The boy looks hesitant and regretful with a crease forming between his eyebrows and a frown on his face. He’s not looking at him anymore, but he’s staring at the scar on his chest and Kyungsoo leans down far enough until he can catch the boy’s gaze. It seems to snap him out of his daze, and Kyungsoo smiles. “What’s your name?”  
  
Surprise takes over the regret on the boy’s face and Kyungsoo thinks the boy is cute when he sputters out his answer, “J– Jongdae.” There’s a streak of pink appearing across Jongdae’s cheeks and Kyungsoo jumps when Jongdae’s right arm suddenly disappears, forming into a brilliant surge of electricity, before Jongdae is yelping with eyes closed and redirecting his arm up to the sky. A bolt of lightning escapes him and Kyungsoo’s eyes widen when a crash of thunder follows right after.  
  
It’s deafening, Kyungsoo quickly slapping his hands on top of his ears to dull the sound, but it’s already done. Echoes follow the initial crash and he closes his eyes, counting how many waves flow through the air, before it goes silent. Everything sounds muffled after that and Kyungsoo jumps when he feels someone touch his hand. His eyes fly open as his jaw drops, staring at Jongdae’s sparkly eyes so close to his own, and lets the other boy gently remove his hands from his head one at a time.  
  
In front of him, Jongdae is missing an arm. His right arm is gone and in its place, in the socket, are bright sparks of electricity, bouncing off of his body and dancing around before returning to its core. “I’m sorry,” Jongdae whispers, though Kyungsoo isn’t sure if it’s because of the loud crash of thunder or Jongdae is actually whispering. “I’m sorry. I’m really trying hard to control it.” He’s still holding onto Kyungsoo’s right hand with his left, dangling between them, and Kyungsoo finds the prickling sensation isn’t as strong as the first time it happened. “Keeping together is supposed to be like breathing, but I haven’t developed it completely yet.”  
  
It takes a few minutes, where Kyungsoo strains to hear the songs of the birds and the trees around them, but then he’s moving his stare from their hands and to Jongdae’s missing arm, watching as the sparks continue to dance around him. “Will you get your arm back?” he ends up shouting, causing Jongdae to flinch. “I’m sorry!”  
  
Jongdae laughs, Kyungsoo can see the tension bleed out of his body, but then he’s nodding and taking a step closer. “It’ll come back eventually,” Jongdae says, loud enough to sound like he’s talking regularly, though everything else still sounds a bit muffled. “It’s a part of me. I just need to concentrate and it’ll come back.”  
  
“Really?!” Kyungsoo laughs when Jongdae flinches. “I’m sorry!”  
  
“Your hearing will come back too!” Jongdae yells in return, and it only makes Kyungsoo laugh harder, stumbling backwards as he holds onto his stomach. “Stop shouting though. Your voice might go out!”  
  
“I don’t think so!” Kyungsoo says, giggling.  
  
“You never even told me your name!”  
  
When Kyungsoo opens his eyes again, he can see Jongdae giggling, lips pulled wide into a smile, and he can’t help the few giggles that escape his own mouth at the sight. “It’s Kyungsoo!” He can see Jongdae mouth his name, as if testing it on his tongue, and Kyungsoo smiles as Jongdae shouts back at him, “Hi, Kyungsoo!”  
  
“Hi, Jongdae!” Kyungsoo echoes back, watching as Jongdae reaches out with his left hand and gently places it over his chest. His hand is warm over his new scar and Kyungsoo tilts his head, confused, all the laughter dying within him at his newfound curiosity. “What are you doing?”  
  
Kyungsoo can’t feel the sparks of electricity that bounce off of Jongdae’s hand, but he can see the determined frown on his face, staring hard at his chest. “Your heartbeat is strong,” Jongdae whispers, and Kyungsoo leans forward the slightest bit to hear him better, watches up close as the frown turns into a small smile. “Can we become friends, Kyungsoo?”  
  
Well, that’s a silly question. “Of course,” Kyungsoo answers, placing his own hand on top of Jongdae’s on his chest. “I told you I’m okay, right? We can become the very best of friends!”  
  
The smile that lights up Jongdae’s face makes up for the fact Kyungsoo can’t hear what he says next. His hearing does come back later though, once he’s taken his form as a strong olive tree and fallen asleep once again.  
  
  
  
They end up meeting often after that. Kyungsoo has taken to falling asleep near the field Jongdae first landed in, right along the tree line with the rest of his friends who prefer the sun on their backs and the strongest of breezes. It takes some time for Kyungsoo to get used to it, struggling with taking more breaths while sleeping than normal, and for him to not freak out every time a deer comes by to rub its side against his bark to relieve an itch. His parents ask why he’s moved away from them, from their usual spot in the cluster of trees next to the eldest one, but he doesn’t want to give them a straight answer.  
  
Jongdae is _his_ friend and he doesn’t want anybody else stealing him.  
  
When Kyungsoo tells him why he doesn’t want him to meet his parents, Jongdae would laugh and say, “that’s ridiculous, Kyungsoo, no one can steal me from you,” but his smile is always pleased, like he enjoys Kyungsoo telling him all these stories and reasons why he does what he does. Plus, Kyungsoo likes that Jongdae is different. He’s different with his lightning and his loudness and his bright smile. He’s not boring like the rest of the trees around him and his mother has taken to saying, “I haven’t seen you this happy in quite a while, my dear,” quite frequently. It makes his father laugh, even though Kyungsoo can tell they’re worried about the scar ever so present, ever so bold, on his chest.  
  
Kyungsoo will create a story, much like the elders no longer able to shift, and say it’s a mark of something greater, of something wonderful, and his parents applaud him for another tale well told. He’s becoming as wise as the rest of those older than him and they’re proud. And for Jongdae, well, Jongdae simply laughs, cheeks a rosy pink as he gently shoves at him until he falls over with Jongdae lying half on top of him, like today.  
  
Fingers card through Jongdae’s hair and Kyungsoo hums, as they stare up into the night sky. It’s clear tonight, cooler than the daylight, but Kyungsoo thinks it’s okay, because Jongdae and his tunic are pretty warm. “Your hair is softer than I’d expect,” Kyungsoo mumbles, as he feels himself melt a little into the earth. It’s peaceful, calm.  
  
“Contrary to popular belief, we lightning folk don’t fry everything within and around us,” Jongdae states, as if it’s a matter-of-fact, which it definitely could be. Kyungsoo doesn’t know. Puffs of air tickle his chest when he speaks. “It’s taken centuries to find the perfect blend of fruits and oils to keep our hair like this, without taking too much from nature around us.”  
  
“If I could bear fruit,” Kyungsoo murmurs, small smile on his face when he hears Jongdae hum. “Then I wouldn’t mind giving you more than you need.” His words make Jongdae laugh, but it warms him up immediately, no longer feeling the chilly breezes of the open air and field.  
  
“Then I’d protect you from the stray bolts of my own,” Jongdae says in turn, pushing up off of Kyungsoo’s chest with a hand to stare down at him, eyes warm and sparkling with the electricity within him.  
  
Kyungsoo scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Like you didn’t already hit me with a stray bolt.”  
  
“That was an accident!”  
  
“Right,” Kyungsoo huffs, looking off to the side and tilting his chin up. “As you say.”  
  
“But I saved you, didn’t I?” Jongdae whines and Kyungsoo can’t help the burst of laughter that escapes his mouth when Jongdae pushes on his stomach before clambering over him. He sits on his stomach without preamble, hands reaching out to cup Kyungsoo’s cheeks and make him face him. There’s a pout on Jongdae’s lips and he’s _cute_. “I saved you from my accident, so I’ll save you from other accidents from now on too!”  
  
It slips out of his mouth before he can stop it, a soft “cute” escaping his lips, before his eyes widen and he says a hasty “okay” instead. Jongdae stares at him confused, but Kyungsoo can’t look away, not when Jongdae is still holding his face in his hands. His heart races and the blood rushes in his ears as heat floods his cheeks.  
  
“You’re cute too,” Jongdae simply says, before he’s smiling and leaning down, placing a kiss on his forehead. It sends sparks throughout Kyungsoo’s body and he gasps at the shock. “My cute Kyungsoo.” And Kyungsoo doesn’t know where it comes from, but then he’s sitting up and knocking Jongdae onto his back, a whine escaping his mouth at the rough landing. “Ow.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo gasps out, quickly crawling over to Jongdae on his knees. “I don’t think I’m very cute,” he offers as a way of explanation. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”  
  
“Nothing can ever really hurt me,” Jongdae breathes, blinking up at Kyungsoo. “But that did knock the air out of me.”  
  
The flutters return and Kyungsoo breathes out a sigh of relief at the confession, smiling, as he leans down to give Jongdae a kiss on the cheek. When he pulls away, Jongdae is beaming up at him again. “I want to watch you transform again,” Kyungsoo murmurs, watching as Jongdae’s eyebrows shoot up, a mischievous look in his eyes. “I’ll keep your tunic safe.”  
  
“You just think I look cool when I become all sparkly-like,” Jongdae accuses, even as he’s standing up and taking off his tunic. He hands it to him and Kyungsoo catches a whiff of burnt grass on it. “But okay, since you asked.” Jongdae pauses in extending his arms out to the sky, looking down to give Kyungsoo another curious look. “Stuff your ears with that. I’ll come visit again when the storm passes.”  
  
“That long?” Kyungsoo whines, finally standing up with him. “I’ve heard the storm doesn’t come for another week.”  
  
Jongdae nods, a soft smile on his face, as he reaches out to cup Kyungsoo’s cheek again with a hand. “You need your sleep,” he says, gently rubbing his thumb along the soft skin there. “And you need to soak up all the nutrients you can. Become wise and tall and strong.”  
  
At that, Kyungsoo rolls his eyes but nods all the same. “You come back stronger too.”  
  
“You’ll know it’s me by the way the thunder crashes.”  
  
Kyungsoo barely has time to take a few steps back, wrapping the tunic around the back of his head, before he stuffs his ears with it and hears the muffled sounds of thunder resonate around them. Jongdae’s entire body glows golden before he disappears back into the sky.  
  
  
  
The rain is gentle when it reaches Kyungsoo, slowly growing until it’s harsh and unrelenting, and Kyungsoo can feel his parents sing with the rough treatment, feel the vibrations through the soil as they’re cleaned once more. It doesn’t matter to Kyungsoo, whether the rain is soft or rough, but he does appreciate the thorough soak, the way the raindrops find their way into every nook and cranny in his bark and leaves. It’s refreshing and Kyungsoo takes the chance to change back, to feel the raindrops on his cheeks and the chill of the wind against his skin.  
  
He walks through the trees, noticing most of his people are soaking up the nutrients of the ground, and he sings softly as he makes his way to his and Jongdae’s clearing. He had hidden the tunic before he transformed back and he searches through the bushes nearest the field for it, smiling as he finds it, before draping it over his head so he can see through the rain clearly.  
  
Jongdae won’t show up for another couple of days, but it doesn’t mean that Kyungsoo won’t wait for him, won’t find something to do to help pass the time. He ends up staring at the fields before returning back to his spot, noticing his parents have shifted too in his absence, and isn’t anywhere to be seen.  
  
He wonders if they’ve gone to the nearby village, maybe to stock up on items for the upcoming rainy season, because sometimes it does get boring staying as a tree when rest and nutrients are abundant and overflowing. Sometimes, it’s better to take on a human form and to experience things humans normally experience, catch up on what items have been created and if new garments exist. Jongdae’s is getting old, small, and Kyungsoo wants to get him a new one, one that’s prettier and larger because it’ll make Jongdae even better.  
  
“Oh, Kyungsoo,” someone calls, causing him to whip around and see his mother standing there, under the shade of the elder trees. “There you are.” There’s a small smile on her face, before she notices the tunic over his head. The smile is still there, but now it’s confused, giving her son a curious look. “What is that you have there? Whom does it belong to?”  
  
Kyungsoo flushes at the questions, feeling heat overtake his body instead of the chill that comes naturally with the rain, and he unconsciously brings the tunic closer to him, wrapping it around his shoulders because he doesn’t want her to take it away. “It’s a friend’s,” he says, watching as she leaves her place by the trees to come up to him. He bites his bottom lip anxiously before he opens his mouth again, staring up at her with wide eyes. “I told him I’d watch it until he comes back.”  
  
“Is that so?” his mother muses, staring at the garment over his head, before she gives him another small smile. “It looks old. Shall we go to the nearby village and find another?”  
  
Without meaning to, his mouth falls open in awe of his mother and her magical powers of knowing what’s on his mind. “Really?” he breathes, watching as his mother nods with that same gentle smile on her face. “I think he’d like that.”  
  
She reaches for his hand and he accepts it, draping the tunic around his shoulders, as she leads the way for the village. “Then let’s go.”  
  
  
  
The village is still the same as when Kyungsoo last visited. His mother urges him to wear the tunic temporarily, saying that she hadn’t gotten one personally for him yet because she didn’t expect a trip to the village so soon, and he watches with wide eyes as she takes one of the colorful garments hanging from a string in the back of a building. “The owner lets me keep mine here,” she tells him with a wink, causing him to giggle at her.  
  
They go to a few more buildings after, Kyungsoo staring at all the items with wide eyes, and points to one that’s a mixture of yellow and grey, that reminds him of Jongdae and his grey tunic he’s wearing. It’s a bit large on his form, but his mother ensures he’s going to grow into it, informing the owner she’ll pay her back in the form of fruits and berries. They search for another too, one that reminds Kyungsoo of the forests around them, and he makes sure it’s around his size too, because he and Jongdae have similar heights.  
  
Their venture lasts all day, with Kyungsoo letting loose that Jongdae is kind, funny, and gentle, and his mother hums, smiling and sounding pleased. “So, this is the reason why you are so happy,” she says quietly, carding fingers through his wet hair. “If he is the reason for your happiness, I would like to meet him.”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t know if that’s a good idea. His mother probably wouldn’t mind Jongdae, but he knows his father probably will. They’ll know he’s the reason for the scar on his chest. “If he’s okay with it,” he says softly, looking towards the ground. He knows Jongdae will be more than okay with it. He’s wanted to meet his friends and his parents, but it’s nerve-wracking, for some reason.  
  
“That is all I ask for,” his mother reassures, giving him another smile, before she leans in to kiss him on the cheek. “Come on. Let’s return. Maybe some of the nutrients will help heal that scar on your chest.”  
  
Kyungsoo bites his bottom lip at the words.  
  
  
  
There’s the echo of thunder in the distance, one that sounds different from Jongdae’s usual one, but it makes Kyungsoo’s heart race. He stands at the edge of the field, staring up into the cloudy sky, and he listens as he waits. He can feel the energy clashing in the air, hear a resonating echo somewhere farther away, and he quickly plugs his fingers and Jongdae’s tunic in his ears before there’s a crash right in front of him.  
  
It takes less than a second for Kyungsoo to open his arms afterwards, smiling as a strike of lightning heads straight for him, before another crack of thunder echoes and the bolt in front of him transforms into Jongdae in mid-air. His hug knocks Kyungsoo back onto the ground, laughing, because every nerve ending in his body is singing with the contact even if the world is muffled around him. And when he kisses his cheek, Jongdae screaming into his ear “I missed you,” it’s electric and Kyungsoo has never felt more alive.  
  
  
  
When they share their first, second, third kiss, Kyungsoo can’t help but moan at the contact, Jongdae pushing him into the earth as he tries to mold their bodies into one. It’s as exciting as the first time Jongdae kissed his cheek, Kyungsoo’s entire body singing with electric shocks, and he gasps as Jongdae leans away to place a gentle kiss on his neck, causing a full-bodied shudder to run straight through him and into the earth.  
  
“I love you,” Jongdae whispers against him, lips soft as he mouths down his neck and to his collarbone. It makes Kyungsoo whimper, every single touch against him making him want more, and it makes the love in his heart grow for the man on top of him. “I love you so much.”  
  
And Kyungsoo cries, because years have passed and they’ve grown up together, have seen each other develop into who they are now, strong and beautiful and wise, but his father doesn’t approve. He doesn’t approve of the way Jongdae is made of lightning, of the way Jongdae had met him, and of the way Jongdae wormed his way into his heart to stay. He doesn’t approve because Jongdae is _dangerous_ but all Kyungsoo can see is someone who’s warmhearted and gentle and loving.  
  
“I love you,” Kyungsoo breathes, when Jongdae works an oiled finger inside him, before a second and third follow. His own fingers work into Jongdae’s hair, as the strands become damp with sweat, and he gasps when Jongdae moves away, places a soft kiss on the inside of his thigh. “Jongdae.”  
  
Jongdae hums in response, voice as lovely as the rest of him, and he’s smiling when he crawls back over him, leaning down until their foreheads touch and Kyungsoo can feel the sparks of his body flying off of him and into his own, trying to leave a mark no one else can see other than the scar on his chest. “Life will be wonderful,” Jongdae murmurs, words catching Kyungsoo off-guard and making him laugh. When he wipes the stray tears from his eyes with his clean hand, Kyungsoo tilts his head up to give him a thankful kiss on the lips. “That’s better,” Jongdae whispers, before he’s pushing in, slowly, steady, so unlike Jongdae but at the same time so like him, because he’s with Kyungsoo and he’s always gentle with Kyungsoo.  
  
Beneath them, the earth rumbles, resonating within Kyungsoo, and he can feel its effects on Jongdae, making him lean in closer with lips parted and a furrow in his brow. It’s wonderful how they can affect each other and he watches him, a bit dazed, as Jongdae moves to cradle his head with both hands to cover his ears. There’s a low crash of thunder that follows, when Kyungsoo finally hums to tell him he’s okay, and he moans with the next roll of Jongdae’s hips.  
  
It’s easy to get lost in each other, as they always have, and Kyungsoo doesn’t even realize there are pulses of electricity dancing all around them until he opens his eyes. Jongdae is staring right at him, gaze dark but electricity dancing in his eyes like a thunderstorm, and Kyungsoo can’t help the moan that escapes his lips at the sight. It makes Jongdae thrust harder, hips bruising and strong, and Kyungsoo tries to keep up with him, arms snaking up underneath Jongdae’s own to hold onto his back.  
  
“You’re beautiful,” Kyungsoo whispers, watching as Jongdae comes back, eyes clearing to focus on him again, warm and loving. It makes Kyungsoo’s heart sing and he clenches around Jongdae involuntarily, huffing out a breath of laughter when that makes Jongdae’s head fall, forehead knocking against his chin, and makes his hips stutter.  
  
“Sweet heaven,” Jongdae breathes, stills when his hips are flushed against Kyungsoo’s own. Kyungsoo whines at the lack of movement, wiggling his hips impatiently, and he gasps when Jongdae suddenly leans down further to bite at his shoulder. “I’m savoring this moment,” he explains between his teeth, making Kyungsoo’s heart stutter and stop too.  
  
The electricity around them fizzles, but they jump the slightest when Kyungsoo feels Jongdae’s cock twitch within him. It makes him smile, card fingers through Jongdae’s sweaty hair, and he holds him close. “If you leave a mark,” he murmurs, feeling Jongdae pull back until soft lips kiss over the bite mark instead. “I’m sure my mother would be proud and my father would cry.”  
  
“Then let him cry,” Jongdae growls, the electricity suddenly dancing around them again, higher, until Jongdae covers his ears once more and the particles jump up into the sky, causing another crash of thunder. Kyungsoo can’t see Jongdae’s expression, from where he’s mouthing and leaving open mouth kisses all over his chest, but he can feel his ache, their pain palpable in the air around them. “I love you. Why isn’t that enough?”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t think it’s possible, but he feels the earth crack underneath him. It shakes, resonating within them, and he cries with it. He gently cradles Jongdae’s head, much like he does for him, and brings him up to give him a sound kiss on the lips. Their love should be more than enough, making Kyungsoo as happy as he can be, but it always goes back to the scar on his chest, where Jongdae made his mark on him accidentally all those years ago. “I love you,” Kyungsoo murmurs against his lips, sighing softly when Jongdae starts rolling his hips again, picking up pace until all Kyungsoo can do is moan into the open night air.  
  
When Kyungsoo comes, it’s to see a glimpse of lightning striking down from the sky all around them. He doesn’t realize he closes his eyes, succumbing to the pleasure, and his entire body tingles when he slowly comes down, feels the soreness on the backs of his thighs and the way Jongdae frantically moves against him, mouth falling open and eyebrows pinched together. He stills when he thrusts in deep, gasping, as he comes.  
  
It’s such a wonderful feeling. Kyungsoo can’t help but let out a soft moan, the scent of the burnt grass blades around them filling his head, and it’s so _Jongdae_.  
  
Jongdae is everything he wants and needs.  
  
  
  
“Tell me about him.”  
  
Kyungsoo hums as he lets Jongdae lay half on top of him, keeping him warm with their tunics on top for a makeshift blanket. Sparks of electricity still dance around them, but of their own accord, Jongdae smiling and giggling every now and then when one jumps onto his shin to bounce up to his thigh. It’s cute and Kyungsoo doesn’t hold anything back.  
  
“Junmyeon is kind,” he murmurs, watching as another spark jumps onto his own hand, where fingers are twisting around blades of grass next to them. It tickles, causing pinpricks up his arms, but he’s come to love the feeling. “He’s polite and soft, like the gentle waves of the ocean.”  
  
“Is he strong?” He doesn’t sound jealous, merely curious. “How does he look?”  
  
“I don’t know if he’s strong,” Kyungsoo answers quietly, thinking back to their first meeting. Junmyeon hadn’t done much but give him a smile and a wave, made small talk as their parents talked over cups of tea. It was strange, how willing Junmyeon seemed with the plans, until they were completely alone and his entire personality changed, sighing heavily as he led Kyungsoo to the lake closest to his house. And then he jumped in and disappeared, body completely turning to water. “He has soft-looking skin,” he murmurs, thoughtfully. “A nice smile, same height as us. He can transform into water. He got frustrated with our parents before he ran and jumped into his lake and disappeared.”  
  
Jongdae gasps, pushing off of Kyungsoo’s chest with a hand to stare down at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. “He left you there?” Though, his growing smile betrays his distress. His gaze turns fond and Kyungsoo’s heart thumps wildly at the sight, knowing all of it, Jongdae’s affection, is for him. “Will he be able to protect you?”  
  
Kyungsoo scoffs before he can stop it, corner of his lips tugging up into a smirk against his will. “I can protect myself plenty, you know. I’ve grown up.” He gasps when Jongdae slips a leg between his, thigh nudging against his soft cock gently.  
  
“Oh, I know,” Jongdae says with a smirk of his own, before he’s moving his leg away again and carding fingers through Kyungsoo’s hair. “I just want you safe.”  
  
“Is it selfish to ask you to keep watch over me?”  
  
There’s a flicker of something in Jongdae’s eyes, one that makes Kyungsoo feel silly for asking that question, but Jongdae doesn’t lie, tries not to anyways. “Yeah,” he answers quietly, leaning down to give him another soft kiss on the lips. “It would be selfish and unfair.”  
  
And Kyungsoo knows that, but he wishes.  
  
  
  
Junmyeon is pleasant to look at. Kyungsoo can’t deny that. His eyes twinkle like the waves underneath a sunny day when he’s happy and his eyes harden like the crashing waves during a storming day when he’s angry. There’s a little furrow that appears between his eyebrows when he’s upset and Kyungsoo isn’t sure if it’s because Junmyeon’s too gentle, too _kind_ , instinctively, but he appreciates it when Junmyeon looks frustrated, ready to drown the earth if he was able. It makes him less safe, less boring, and Kyungsoo thinks he may have a problem when he relays it to Jongdae one day.  
  
A thunderstorm is passing through, one where thunder clashes every few minutes, and Kyungsoo is holding onto Jongdae as he fights the urge to join his brothers and sisters up in the sky. It’s difficult, when Kyungsoo is repeatedly shocked with kisses on his cheeks, his lips, his neck, but he holds onto him because Jongdae asked him to, wants to stay with him for as long as he can this time. Thunderstorms make him go crazy, calling out to him, but it’s always been temporary.  
  
“I might’ve ruined you,” Jongdae says with a laugh, sounding panicked, a little crazed, as he stares up when a bolt of lightning streaks across the sky before looking back down to Kyungsoo. “I never planned to ruin you.”  
  
Kyungsoo can feel the scar on his chest throb underneath their clothes. “I don’t think we ever planned to fall in love either,” he says, loud enough to be heard over the crash of thunder around them. “If it’s you, I don’t mind being ruined.”  
  
“Kyungsoo,” Jongdae breathes. Kyungsoo can see his eyes glaze over before returning to him, eyes as clear lightning streaking across the dark sky. “Kyungsoo, I love _you_.”  
  
It strikes something within Kyungsoo, tightening his hold on Jongdae, even as he fights him. “That sounds like a goodbye!” he shouts, gasping when Jongdae smashes his lips against his. He can feel the electric currents surging through him, making him moan and his muscles twitch. “Jongdae,” he gasps, body easily moving with him as Jongdae places a firm hand on the small of his back to pull him in closer.  
  
When they part, Jongdae’s eyes are soft, tender, flashing when another bolt of lightning flies across the sky. Another kiss is placed on his lips, gentle, unlike the chaos swirling around them. “Let me hear those words,” Jongdae whispers, hand slipping underneath the back of Kyungsoo’s shirt and making him moan with the pinpricks dancing all over him.  
  
“I love you,” Kyungsoo murmurs, chanting it against Jongdae’s lips, over and over, until Jongdae gives him another kiss. It takes his breath away, makes him dizzy when they finally part, and he doesn’t realize he’s clutching onto Jongdae until another crash of thunder sounds. It doesn’t scare him anymore, but the way Jongdae starts to lose a little bit of himself, smiling as the storm continues, makes him want to protect him. “Jongdae, I love you.”  
  
There’s another clap of thunder, one that reverberates in Kyungsoo’s chest, and he watches as Jongdae slides his gaze to the side over his left shoulder. His gaze darkens, much like the night sky, and Kyungsoo counts the lashes right in front of him, treasures and memorizes Jongdae all over again. He leans forward to give his cheek a quick kiss, making Jongdae smile the tiniest bit. “Junmyeon,” Jongdae suddenly calls out, voice booming like the thunder around them. “I can see the reflections with each strike of lightning.”  
  
Kyungsoo can see the underlying sincerity, compassion, within his eyes, before he finally looks away and to the direction Jongdae is staring in. It takes a few minutes, but Kyungsoo can see a glimmer within the trees, moving, as Junmyeon steps out from the shadows. The water molds to him, giving him a camouflaged appearance, and Kyungsoo shares a smile with him in greeting.  
  
“He’s become fond of you, you know,” Jongdae calls out, voice becoming softer, a small smile gracing his lips. “Sometimes, he doesn’t say it verbally.”  
  
“I’m aware,” Junmyeon says with a chuckle, continuing to move forward towards them. He glides along the damp ground, not really walking but not really moving anything else except his wiggling toes. “I see it in the way he stares at me when he thinks I’m not looking.”  
  
Heat flushes through Kyungsoo’s body at the confession, and he hides his face in Jongdae’s neck, embarrassed. He can feel the vibrations of Jongdae’s laughter through him, but then he feels another hand on his shoulder, one that’s cooler than the warm arms keeping him in place.  
  
“I won’t be able to have the same love as you two have for each other,” Junmyeon says with a smile, always kind, always serene. Kyungsoo wonders where his father even found a man like him. “But we can tell you’re struggling, Jongdae. Go. Be with your siblings.”  
  
Kyungsoo immediately looks to Jongdae, feeling soft lips touch his forehead, and then he’s moving, shifting to stand next to Junmyeon instead. He’s still holding onto Jongdae’s hand, but he lets go after giving him a soft squeeze. “I can’t keep you forever,” Kyungsoo murmurs.  
  
“The wedding will be on the day of the summer solstice,” Junmyeon says, as Jongdae is shedding his clothes. They watch as bursts of electricity escape his joints when he moves and Kyungsoo catches the garments when Jongdae tosses it to him, looking frantic yet excited to join the skies. “Thank you, Jongdae.”  
  
“Treasure him, Junmyeon.” The smile Jongdae gives them is crazed, even more so than the one before, and Kyungsoo feels his heart leave when Jongdae says, “You’re the one I love, Kyungsoo,” and then bolts up into the sky.  
  
A crash of thunder follows in his wake and Kyungsoo laughs when Junmyeon flinches hard, hands coming up to cover his ears belatedly, and shouts, “Does he always do that? Why can’t I hear anything?!”  
  
  
  
The weather is warm today, extremely so, and Kyungsoo can’t help but groan as he lays in the field closest to Junmyeon’s home. It’s similar to the one he shares with Jongdae, but his father approves of this more, has taken to stopping by and talking to Junmyeon, because water has always been soothing, a constant, even as it rages in the ocean during a storm. But it helps that there are a collection of trees here, elder ones that Kyungsoo doesn’t recall ever knowing, and he sighs as he stares up at the clear blue sky between the leaves while he lies back in the soft grass.  
  
Slowly, he can feel something wet and chilly sliding up his bare leg. It cools him down and he tilts his head down to see Junmyeon sitting next to him and giving him a small smile. His hand has turned into water, with imitations of fingers and a thumb and a palm still present, and Kyungsoo laughs when the hand turns into flesh when it runs over his clothes. “That’s still so odd,” he muses, watching as the hand turns back to water when it reaches his bare chest, glides around the scar, and cups his cheek. It soothes the heat of the day on his skin and he sighs again, closing his eyes in bliss.  
  
“Yet your feet turning into roots to soak up the nutrients isn’t odd,” Junmyeon retorts, though there’s no real bite behind it. It only makes Kyungsoo laugh more, opens his eyes to watch him talk.  
  
“I’m still a growing olive tree,” Kyungsoo says in response, smiling when Junmyeon does, continues to let him help cool him down. “I must continue to grow strong.”  
  
“Like the waves of the ocean with the moon’s beams.”  
  
Kyungsoo hums in response as he watches Junmyeon pull the waters of the lake to him. The lower half of his body turns into water to meet the lake halfway and it travels through him and onto Kyungsoo. A thin sheet of cool water covers his body within the next few minutes and he breathes out a sigh of relief, eyes finally closing, as he reaches out with a hand to gently place on Junmyeon’s hip in thanks.  
  
The water continues to glide along Kyungsoo’s skin, soaking through his clothes, and he feels calm. His heart beats steady within his chest and he lets Junmyeon trail his hand down from his cheek to his chest, a soft pressure finding itself on top of the scar there. “Jongdae did this to you?” he quietly asks. He doesn’t sound hesitant, but he doesn’t sound pleased either.  
  
“It was an accident,” Kyungsoo murmurs, remembering the day like it was yesterday, not decades ago. “Thunder woke me up and lightning struck me in the chest.” He feels a collection of water settle over the scar and he opens his eyes to see Junmyeon frowning down at it. “Don’t worry about it,” he whispers, causing Junmyeon to look at him. “It’s done. We were young, half the height we are now, and he had trouble having control over his body.” He gives him a soft smile. “I was walking through the trees trying to find out where the thunder was coming from and, before I knew it, a stray lightning bolt had hit me.”  
  
“Was it a part of him?”  
  
Kyungsoo stills at the question, suddenly at a loss, because he doesn’t actually know. Jongdae himself is made of electricity, but did he embed a part of himself, literally, into Kyungsoo’s chest? His heart? “I don’t know,” he answers, looking to Junmyeon, and he must look as lost as he feels because Junmyeon’s curious gaze is softening. He’s giving him a fond look and the water surrounding him disperses. Junmyeon materializes completely again and then he’s laying down right next to Kyungsoo, gently pulling him into his arms. Like this, Kyungsoo still doesn’t feel as warm. The chest underneath his cheek is as cool as the water of the lake and he closes his eyes to relish in it.  
  
Minutes, hours, pass by, as they lay under the shade of the trees together and Kyungsoo thinks he might’ve dozed off, half of his body melting into the ground, but Junmyeon doesn’t move. He doesn’t even flinch as day turns to night and the weather cools enough for Kyungsoo to wake up, suddenly too cold to only be wearing shorts outside. But the parts of his body sharing Junmyeon’s body heat, those parts are warm and Kyungsoo tries to move in closer only to realize he’s been rooted to the ground.  
  
A soft chuckle escapes from under him and he flushes pink at the sound. Junmyeon is rather pretty under the stars and it takes a little more effort for Kyungsoo to focus, to look away from Junmyeon’s twinkling eyes, to regain the legs he unintentionally lost in his sleep. Once they return, Kyungsoo quickly scoots away. There’s a flutter in his chest the longer he stares at Junmyeon, so he turns away, looking around to see the lanterns have flames to provide light for them to see more clearly.  
  
Not much is said between them, but Kyungsoo finds Junmyeon’s presence is enough.  
  
  
  
When the ceremony takes place, the sun is starting to set. It’s meant to celebrate when the weather is cooling down, allowing those involved to be comfortable in the summer heat, but all Kyungsoo can see is Junmyeon’s warm smile and loving eyes. They’re directed towards him and Kyungsoo’s heart aches the littlest bit when he can hear thunder crashing in the distance. It’s enough to peak Junmyeon’s interest, looking around them, before turning back to Kyungsoo and giving him a small nod, a tilt of the head.  
  
On top of one of the elder trees, Kyungsoo can see Jongdae standing on the highest branch, quickly stomping his foot on the beginnings of a fire he probably started. He’s clutching onto the tree’s trunk to prevent from falling off and Kyungsoo can’t help the relief that floods his chest, the smile growing on his lips, because right when the fire fades, Jongdae is looking up. Their gazes meet even with the distance and Kyungsoo watches as Jongdae gives him a small wave before placing his hand on his chest above his heart.  
  
Kyungsoo misses him, misses his electric kisses, but when he finally turns away to give Junmyeon his attention, he’s the one to reach out first, to cup Junmyeon’s cheek and guide him in for their first kiss. It’s soft and yielding, barely a press of lips, but it’s so _Junmyeon_ , Kyungsoo smiles into it. It reminds him of gentle waves rolling onto the banks of the lake.  
  
“Well, that was nice,” Junmyeon whispers, when they slowly part and clapping erupts around them. He’s smiling and if Kyungsoo looks close enough, it almost appears wistful, a soft puff of air escaping Junmyeon’s lips as he lets out a chuckle at his own silly comment.  
  
Kyungsoo can’t help but smile with him, letting out a few quiet laughs of his own, before he feels Junmyeon tug on his hand. He’s tilting his head in the direction of the elder trees again and Kyungsoo turns to see Jongdae still standing there, staring at them. Kyungsoo doesn’t know if he’s imagining it, but he thinks he sees a fond smile on Jongdae’s lips, one that’s directed to the both of them.  
  
When Kyungsoo gets tugged away by his parents, a proud smile on his father’s face and an apologetic smile on his mother’s, he makes sure to discreetly point his mother in the direction of Jongdae. Both their smiles brighten as they wave to each other, and Kyungsoo feels another part of himself leave when Jongdae gives him a playful bow before he transforms and waves of thunder echo all around them.  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo finds that Junmyeon is a wonderful person. He likes taking walks around the village and talking to humans, young and elderly alike. It would seem strange decades ago, when Kyungsoo barely spent any time in the villages, but it feels comforting to him now, knowing that Junmyeon knows his way around people and the place he’s going to live in now. It’s not far from home, but it’s different enough for Kyungsoo to struggle and take roots in a new environment.  
  
In fact, he only feels comfortable falling asleep near Junmyeon’s lake, the roots spreading out graciously near the edge, and Kyungsoo tells him this as he tries a new food humans have concocted recently. It’s tangy but sweet and Kyungsoo hums appreciatively, wondering what it’ll do to his body, since they’re not technically humans.  
  
“That’s wonderful to hear,” Junmyeon quietly tells him, smiling around his spoonful. He looks a little cheeky, maybe even embarrassed, and Kyungsoo tries not to laugh. “I was wondering if you were becoming comfortable there.”  
  
Kyungsoo hums, shrugging, before scooping another spoonful for himself. “I’ve grown much stronger,” he comments, taking a step to the side closer to Junmyeon so he can gently bump shoulders with him. “It’s peaceful and quiet.”  
  
“Is that any better than crashes and general loudness?” Junmyeon retorts, a hint of something sour in his tone, but then he looks apologetic, quickly turning to Kyungsoo with words of apology about to spill from his lips. But Kyungsoo holds a hand up anyways, to stop him from saying anything.  
  
“It’s different,” he admits, “But that doesn’t mean one is better than the other. I appreciate each because it’s contributed to who I am today.” He gives Junmyeon another look, contemplating his future actions, before he’s leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Junmyeon’s cheek. “I’m comfortable with you, Junmyeon,” Kyungsoo murmurs, pulling back to give him what he hopes is a sincere smile. “I miss Jongdae, almost much more than I should, but nothing about our relationship seems forced now. Everything comes naturally to us and I find that’s more pleasing than I originally thought.”  
  
Junmyeon pouts then, stuffing another spoonful of that food into his mouth and talking around it. “I don’t know if you’re giving compliments or not.”  
  
That makes Kyungsoo laugh. “I’m saying I enjoy being with you, Junmyeon,” he clarifies, finding the pink settling in Junmyeon’s cheeks endearing. “We go well together and give each other strength–well, I hope I give you strength–and I didn’t expect our relationship to transform from frustration and confusion to acceptance and adoration.”  
  
“You _adore_ me?” Junmyeon gasps out, before he struggles to catch his spoon when it slips out of his mouth and almost lands on the floor. Kyungsoo chuckles, guesses that’s an appropriate reaction, because he’s never really confessed anything like this to him before. He’s usually been silent with his growing affection for him, letting his actions do more of the speaking, because it just _flows_ together with him. He doesn’t even realize what he’s doing as he scoops some more of that food out of the container and into his spoon before holding it up in front of a sputtering Junmyeon. It quickly silences him and makes his eyes grow wide, before a smile is lighting up his face and he’s opening his mouth.  
  
Kyungsoo makes sure nothing spills as he guides the food into Junmyeon’s mouth, but once it’s gone, he shrugs, hiding his smile by biting his lip instead. “It’s hard _not_ to adore you,” he mumbles, watching as Junmyeon lights up even more, and then Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go home.”  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t take the form of his tree as much anymore. He can go days without going to sleep so when night falls and he’s wide awake, he simply sits by the edge of the lake. He watches as it ebbs and flows back to him, moving with the beams of the moon, and he wonders where Junmyeon is in all of it. He had fallen asleep hours ago, disappearing with a dive into the lake, and Kyungsoo’s long stopped worrying about whether he needs to actually breathe air or not to survive.  
  
In the distance, he can hear thunder rolling. He can feel the changes in the air pressure around them and Junmyeon’s previous words of a storm coming echo in his head. It probably won’t come for another couple of days but he’s stopped longing for Jongdae’s touch too. It’s not healthy for any of them and it only took Junmyeon getting mad at him four times for him to realize that.  
  
The lake moves with Junmyeon when he gets riled up and Kyungsoo finds he adores that too, appreciates it when Junmyeon’s kind and calm demeanor shatters and he can see a glimpse of Junmyeon’s other side when he’s angry. It doesn’t do much for Kyungsoo, who doesn’t easily get swayed by uncontrolled emotions, but it startles Junmyeon into calming down almost instantly when he realizes what he’s doing.  
  
There’s another crash of thunder, sounding closer than the ones before, and Kyungsoo finally looks away from the lake to look over his shoulder to the oncoming storm. He doesn’t see rainfall in the distance, like how Junmyeon taught for him to search, but the sound of thunder brings back fond memories. It must be getting louder too, because a particularly harsh wave climbs over the bank and wets Kyungsoo’s feet. He looks back, startled, before he laughs and gets up.  
  
“Okay, Junmyeon,” he murmurs, watching as some of the water falls back into the lake. “I’ll go check it out so you can sleep.”  
  
Junmyeon’s entire land is an open area, the barriers are hedge bushes creating lines to separate it from the rest of the village, and Kyungsoo hums as he walks through a maze of them. He gravitates towards the constant rolling of thunder and he smiles when there’s one that’s deafening, opening up his arms for a hug out of habit. Within a flash, Jongdae is standing in front of him, golden and surges of electricity bouncing off all around his body. He’s still beautiful and Kyungsoo shares a sad smile with him when he puts down his arms, lets them hang limp at his sides.  
  
“You’re waking Junmyeon up,” Kyungsoo accuses, watching as Jongdae laughs and it crackles through the air. They’re not more than three feet away from each other, but the heat sizzles down when Jongdae returns back to his human form. He’s wearing a new outfit, one that can sustain its resistance against him, and it looks nice, black as the night sky.  
  
“Sorry,” Jongdae eventually breathes out, eyes crinkling up at the corners when he smiles. “I just wanted to warn you two about the thunderstorm coming up.”  
  
Kyungsoo hums, staring at Jongdae, wondering if anything’s changed physically besides the outfit. “He could tell. There’s a difference in the air pressure I could feel too.”  
  
Suddenly, Jongdae’s gaze turns fond, but he doesn’t reach out, doesn’t step any closer, because Kyungsoo is no longer his. “You’ve become wise and strong, though you lack in the height.”  
  
Kyungsoo gapes. “Excuse you! My olive tree is an impressive stature!”  
  
“I know,” Jongdae laughs out. “But you’ve continued to grow beautifully with him.”  
  
This time, Kyungsoo scoffs, though he feels a rush of heat of embarrassment settle in his cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself,” he murmurs, eyeing Jongdae’s outfit again. “The outfit looks good on you.”  
  
Jongdae hums, another crackle in the air around them. His gaze falls to Kyungsoo’s clothed chest, before he glances back up to simply _stare_ at Kyungsoo. He misses him. There’s a calm and Kyungsoo smiles at him before sticking his tongue out. It makes Jongdae laugh and Kyungsoo wonders about the scar on his chest. He wonders if there’s a part of Jongdae still with him, unable to be released. But does he want to know the truth? He isn’t sure.  
  
His heart races when Jongdae smiles, that soft, handsome one that brings so much comfort to Kyungsoo when he doesn’t know he needs it, and he half-expects Jongdae to take a step forward, hand reaching out to gently cradle the side of his face. He half-expects a kiss to his forehead and little shocks to run throughout his body because that’s habit and that’s their love. But Jongdae doesn’t move. He stays still, smiling at him, before another crash of thunder echoes in the distance. It’s different from Jongdae’s own.  
  
“We’re not safe around your husband,” Jongdae says, looking over Kyungsoo’s shoulder briefly, before returning his gaze to him. “Lightning and water can work well together to bring the most fearful of storms, but if they come into direct contact with each other, it might not end well.”  
  
Kyungsoo knows what Jongdae’s trying to say, but at the same time he doesn’t. He can hear the thunder rolling and something within him squeezes painfully at the thought. “Have you found someone?” he asks, instead.  
  
The surprise on Jongdae’s face is evident. He gapes, mouth wide open, with eyebrows shooting up his forehead. “What?” he breathes, before he’s taking a step towards Kyungsoo. He stills immediately afterwards though, knowing his limits. “No, I haven’t,” he answers. “You’re my one and only, Kyungsoo.” His gaze softens then, lifting his hand to touch, but he keeps right out of reach, hand hovering close to Kyungsoo’s cheek. “Have you fallen in love with him yet?”  
  
Kyungsoo bites his lip, refusing to shake his head, because then he’ll want to lean into Jongdae’s touch. “It’s not the same type of love,” Kyungsoo murmurs, closing his eyes, and all he can feel are Jongdae’s phantom touches. “I do adore him though.”  
  
“Then that’s all I ask for,” Jongdae says, and Kyungsoo can hear him moving away. He wants to reach out, bring him back to him. “Apologize to Junmyeon for me?” Jongdae asks, quietly, making Kyungsoo open his eyes to stare at him. The sparks in Jongdae’s eyes brighten as each second passes. “I didn’t mean to disturb his sleep.”  
  
“I missed you,” Kyungsoo whispers, “Miss.”  
  
Jongdae’s smile is soft and affectionate. “I’m dangerous, Kyungsoo. Maybe not to you, but I’ll try and keep Junmyeon safe too.”  
  
Within minutes, Kyungsoo is covering his ears before Jongdae turns to lightning and returns to the sky. He watches him streak across the clouds a couple of times before disappearing completely and he wonders if he’ll ever stop loving him.  
  
  
  
The lake is still when Kyungsoo returns. It’s not ebbing and flowing like it does when Junmyeon breathes and he jumps when something is draped over his shoulders instead. He looks over his shoulder, hearing Junmyeon’s soft laughter, and feels relief flood him from the inside out when he sees it’s him, eyes reflecting the bright moon. The quilt around him is warm but Junmyeon’s fingers grazing his collarbones are chilled.  
  
“I’m sorry I made you go out there,” Junmyeon murmurs. He doesn’t move in to kiss him, on the lips, the cheek, the temple, but he does bring Kyungsoo in for a hug, warming both of them up more. “Was it Jongdae?”  
  
Kyungsoo freezes. He feels like he did something wrong. “How did you know?”  
  
“He stopped by here before leaving,” Junmyeon answers with a soft chuckle. “Almost struck me by accident.”  
  
“What?!” Kyungsoo screeches, eyes wide, as he turns and runs hands all over Junmyeon’s face, shoulders, and arms searching for any signs of injury. It makes Junmyeon laugh louder and he frowns, ripping the blanket out of his grasp and returning to sit on the bank with it wrapped tight around him. “I see you’re fine though.”  
  
Junmyeon sounds pleased when he hums, sitting down close to him and letting his legs dangle into the water. His sigh is soft, thoughtful. “I’m trying not to fall in love with you,” he says, almost as if they’re talking about the food on the street. “It’s hard though, you know?” When Kyungsoo looks to him, eyes wide, Junmyeon’s smile is sad as he stares at the water in front of them. “But it’s easy to think we’re in love. You’re right. Everything between us comes naturally and it only feels natural to fall in love.”  
  
Kyungsoo’s heart speeds, but he doesn’t know what it means with Junmyeon.  
  
“He said the lightning may be more chaotic this time, so he’ll deflect any that comes our way,” Junmyeon further explains. “He wanted to tell me personally as well, also asked if I’ve fallen in love yet.”  
  
Kyungsoo swallows the lump in his throat. “And,” he murmurs, pausing, because he can’t find the words. But Junmyeon waits, ever so patiently, for him to speak. “You told him you’re trying not to fall in love with me?”  
  
“I told him I was,” Junmyeon confesses, a soft laugh escaping his mouth. “I told him I was falling in love with you and I didn’t know what to do.”  
  
“So then–”  
  
“He looked pained, Kyungsoo, like he knows what’s going on. He knows what it’s like to love you and have you and it’s unfair, you know?”  
  
Kyungsoo knows.  
  
“So, I’m going to treasure you, because Jongdae can’t.”  
  
  


  
_And why the earth and water can exist in harmony?_  


**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: momentarily lost limb/decreased senses, characters as elementals, broken relationship, possible unrequited love, angst, open-ish ending?


End file.
